Panoramic imagery is able to capture a large azimuth view with a significant elevation angle. In some cases, the view is achieved through the use of wide angle optics such as fish-eye lens. This view may be expanded by combining or “stitching” a series of images from one or more cameras with overlapping fields of view into one continuous view. In other cases it is achieved through the use of a combination of mirrors and lens. Alternatively, the view may be developed by rotating an imaging sensor so as to achieve a panorama. The panoramic view can be composed of still images or, in cases where the images are taken at high frequencies, the sequence can be interpreted as animation. Wide angles associated with panoramic imagery can cause the image to appear warped, i.e., the image does not correspond to a natural human view. This imagery can be unwarped by various means including software to display a natural view.
While systems have been proposed in which panoramic images can be created in computer generated environments, such as with three-dimensional models, a need remains for an imaging system in which still or video panoramic imagery is combined with directional sound and directional motion to provide realistic telepresence.